And every day you sit helplessly, like a nervous
taxpayer thumbing through year-old Newsweeks in an IRS waiting room,
for their next onslaught of bad news.

But
sometimes, hate to tell you... the bad news really doesnt exist at
all. Its just something gushing out of your over-active imagination,
like a rusty puddle from a busted basement water heater.

It starts innocently enough. The boss asks
you a simple question:

BOSS: You coming
in your regular time tomorrow?

YOU: "Well, of course...
don't I always?"

But then an odd look on the boss' face gets
you wondering...

YOU: "Was...was there any reason you want
to know...?"

BOSS: "No, I'll see you tomorrow morning.
Good night"

A simple exchange. But enough to get your paranoia
sparking like a lit fuse.

IN YOUR MIND:

Was the Boss just making
conversation?

Did they mean something by that?

Should I come in a little early tomorrow?

Could it be some kind of HINT that the Boss wants to talk to me?

Or maybe its some kind of HINT that Ive been coming in too late.
I know I havent. Well... there was that time awhile back I got delayed
watching that Lucy rerun where shes up on the Empire State
Building dressed as a Martian... but, is that really reason to fire
me!!??!?!?!?!

Ahh... see whats
happening? The boss has planted a seed. And like that spider
thing in ALIEN, its only a matter of time before a drooling lizard
head comes ripping out through your chest just as youre sitting down
for your Cup O Noodles.

All too often, this useless paranoia rears
its ugly head when you decide to ask the boss for something. Now were
not talking about the obvious raise. But something even simpler. Like taking
your vacation time a week early, or leaving work for an hour to be home for
the cable guy. As you wait to see the boss, your mind creates its own scenario.
And true to human nature its usually a far gloomier picture than what
actually results.

No doubt the best illustration of this is
the following story which you should reflect upon the next time you begin
to mess with your own mind, churning anger and resentment into a counter
productive mass of self-generated hot air.